Eternal Kingdom
Chapter Twenty Three

Lysander rushed to get me dressed and cleaned up as I stared, unmoving, at the Bugatti coming to a halt outside of our house. He stepped out of the car, taking one step towards our porch before freezing. *Shit.*

He turned, looking up at the window I was staring out of. I didn't think I would be able to move, being pierced by his gaze. That was until I noticed our front door open, and Bastion barreling towards him. *Fuck*!

I had to get down there before Bastion hurt him!

Using my haste, I bolted towards Bas, not even bothering with the fact that my dress wasn't fully zipped. I had to stop him. His eyes were black and his growl was ripping through his gritted teeth.

I collided with him, ignoring the slight pain as a result of smacking into his hard frame, and placed my hands against his chest gently.

"Bas, no."

He looked shocked to see me, his eyes softening a fraction as he took me in, only to pull me behind him in a protective gesture.

"Get in the house, Aria." He demanded, sternly. I peeked around him to catch a better glimpse of my royal, who was standing confidently, his eyes meeting mine with longing, as if he had missed me terribly. He was so beautiful that it nearly choked me. He hadn't changed one bit.

"Absolutely not, Bastion." I said as firmly as I could manage with my trembling voice. I could hear Lysander asking in my mind if I needed help, but I shook my head, knowing he was watching. I had a feeling that his presence would only provoke Rory more, and after what we had just done, I wouldn't feel right standing beside Bas and him.

"Love, I'm sorry."

Bas growled louder, on the brink of losing control. "Don't fucking call her that."

Rory ignored him, looking me in the eyes in the most apologetic and defeated way. It was completely tearing me apart. I just wanted to hold him.

That's when he really surprised me.

At first, I wasn't sure what he was doing when he bowed his head, but pretty soon it became clear. He was kneeling. His slacks were flattened against the concrete, his hands doing the same in front of him. He kept his head down, his blonde locks shielding his face from view. I couldn't breathe.

"Aria, I know it was wrong of me not to contact you sooner. But you have to understand, it wasn't my fault. I wasn't allowed. I've missed you so incredibly much, love. I missed our babies."

"Fuck off! Those aren't your babies!" Bastion shouted, but I placed a calming hand on his shoulder, stepping forward.

"Please, just let me see them. Let me hold you again. I swear, I'll never hurt you again. I'll be the royal I was meant to be. I'll be someone you admire, not fear. Give me one more chance to prove it, I'm begging you."

I couldn't hear his heart over the pounding of mine and Bastion's, but I had never heard Rory sound more sincere in all the time I'd known him. His voice was cracking, as if on the verge of tears, and his arms were struggling to hold him up.

I wanted so badly to forgive him. To trust him. But what did he mean he wasn't allowed? And he said that he apologized for not contacting me, not for leaving in the first place. Did that mean that he hadn't really changed at all? No matter my suspicions, I couldn't rightly keep him from his son. He at least took the effort to come see him, and damn, he was literally bowing to me. What kind of heartless bitch would I be to turn this broken man away? "Come, Rory." I took another step towards him, but Bastion caught my arm.

"Aria, I don't-"

"It's okay, baby." I said reassuringly, offering him a bright smile, even though my eyes were filled with tears. "Could you please give us some privacy? Wait on the back deck?" He furrowed his brow in frustration, but agreed begrudgingly. "If you need me, howl and I'll be there." Then he left, stepping onto the deck and rounding to the back.

Good, at least a fight wouldn't break out.

I glanced back over at Rory who was watching me with tears and hope in his enchanting blue eyes, but he still hadn't gotten off the ground. I crossed to him quickly, offering him a hand to stand, which he accepted graciously. "Aria." He muttered, in awe. His arms rose to hug me, but when I flinched, he stilled. "I'm sorry." He mumbled, dropping his arms back to his side. "I understand if you want nothing to do with me now. I really have been a shitty royal, haven't I?"

I nodded, giving a halfhearted laugh.

"Yes, but I still love you." I admitted honestly. Even though I knew it could bite me in the ass, I wanted nothing more than to hold him again. I lifted my arms, snaking them around his slender waist and pulling myself flush against him. Resting my head against his heartbeat was unreal. I wished I could stay there forever.

He sucked in a harsh breath, pausing for just a beat before throwing his arms around me and pulling me in even closer.

"Aria, I love you, too. More than anything in this world." I thought my heart would combust hearing those words tumble from his lips. Maybe he came in peace after all.

I leaned back, standing on the tips of my toes to press my lips to his. He kissed me gently, almost timidly, rubbing small circles on my back with his thumbs. This was the Rory I missed. This was the Rory I longed for.

I broke the kiss before it could get heated anymore due to our bond, looking into his loving eyes.

"Let's go see your baby." I said excitedly.

"Babies." He corrected, a slight hint of hurt and annoyance in his voice.

"Sorry, babies." I shrugged apologetically, taking his hand in mine and guiding him into the house. I could feel Lysander's burning gaze following us closely, and I wouldn't be surprised if he was following us in, but hiding his presence. As a precautionary measure, I said a quick prayer kindly requesting he respect my privacy as well.

If I asked Bastion to do it, it was only fair to hold Lysander to the same standard.

I could hear their little giggles coming from their bedroom, and figured that they had been placed in their cribs when Bastion got a hint of Rory's scent.

I was right.

I threw open their door, stepping back to allow Rory to have his time with them. As soon as he saw his baby boy standing, he halted, his eyes filling back with tears.

"James. And Lilly." He glanced at our beautiful baby girl beside her brother. "You've grown so much." He approached them, but the closer he got, the more their bottom lips started to tremble. They were going to cry. "There, there." I cooed, stepping forward to calm them. The hurt on Rory's face was evident and it killed me. "It's just because they haven't seen you in a while. They just got object permanence. They don't remember." His eyes turned from solemn to angry, but he turned his head to keep me from seeing. "Fucking Luna." He cursed, so quietly that I barely caught it. Why was he angry at Luna?

"Rory?" I asked hesitantly, placing a hand on his arm. He flinched, turning abruptly on his heels and heading towards the twin's closet.

He grabbed the first bag he could replace and began shoving their clothes inside, not paying the slightest attention to keeping them folded or organized.

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"Rory, what the hell are you doing?" My voice was higher, more urgent, but I didn't want to shout and scare the children.

"Go pack a bag. We're going to London." He answered simply, and before I could protest, he shoved a note into my hand.

"What-?"

He looked back and forth from the note to me, clearly urging me to read it. I gulped, my hands trembling as I opened the folded cardstock. On it was Rory's excellent penmanship, spelling out a simple message.

"I know about you and Lysander. You have two options: come with me and have happiness and protection, or don't and I'll tell Bastion about what you've been up to."

My face went pale.

He was blackmailing me? How did he know about us? And what did he know? The beach or what we had been up to lately? He answered my last question by taking a break from packing to zip the back of my dress, giving me a gentle kiss on the nape of my neck. Fuck.

I was lost, swimming in my dreadful questions. Sella warned me about this. She told me to have control, but I fucked things up. And now I was going to have to go against my conscience and follow Rory's demands.

There was no way I would risk Bastion replaceing out about the affair. I couldn't! He would be even more heartbroken than if I were to run off with Rory, I was sure of it. Not to mention what he would try to do to Lysander.

Besides, there were worse things than following my royal to England. He would take good care of us, of that I was confident. I really believed he loved us. He was just confused. Maybe after a couple of months in the palace, I could make him see reason again. I could convince him to come back to the light side.

He slung the bag over his shoulder, turning to face me with a sickeningly sweet smile for someone who just manipulated me into obedience.

"Well?"

"I-I'll go with you." I conceded, hanging my head in shame. His face lit up and he leaned down to capture my lips, subtly taking the note from my hands and slipping it back in his pocket.

"I'm so glad, baby. You're going to love London. The people in the palace are charming and the rooms are stunning. I even got a room that connects to the nursery, so we can be close to the twins."

I forced a smile, seeing his obvious jubilee. This would be exciting for me, too, if I wasn't leaving my Kingdom and family behind against my will.

"Let me go pack my bags." I said, moving to the door, but he followed me closely behind.

"We'll come back for the twins once I get our bags in the Explorer." I cocked my head. Didn't he come in a sports car? "I have a friend exchanging vehicles with me. He should be here soon." He replied to my unspoken question. What friend? They must be close if he came with them.

Deciding it didn't much matter, I proceeded upstairs, taking my suitcase from our walk-in and placing it on the bed. Rory helped me put together some clothes to take, assuring me that he had a whole new wardrobe waiting for me at 'home'. Before I zipped it, I grabbed my picture frame from my nightstand, fighting tears as I included it atop my clothing. It was taken the day of our coronation, and included both of my Kings, as well as me, all donned in our crowns and smiling like the young fools we were. It was pathetic, but I couldn't leave it behind.

"Ready?" Rory called from the doorway, holding out his other hand for my case. I handed it over, taking one last glance around the room I had shared with my mate, making so many joyous memories. I would miss him.

"Can I say goodbye to Bastion?" I asked, my eyes already overflowing. He nodded, pity dancing over his features.

"Of course, love."

Once we got to the sitting room, I called for him, knowing he was listening as closely as he could through the glass. He flew through the door, as if he had been waiting to spring into action, but his face fell once he took in the bags on Rory's

arms.

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"Aria?" His hazel eyes looked to me for answers, his posture sunken yet tense. "What's going on?"

"I-" I started, but an unexpected sob cut me off. After taking a deep breath, I started again. "I'm going with Rory. To London." I rushed out, willing myself to shut my eyes, but my body wouldn't listen. I watched as Bastion turned from sorrowful, to confused, to angry.

"Wait, what? What the hell did he do to you?" He shouted, giving Rory a pointed glare.

At that time, Lysander appeared, standing between Bastion and I.

"Hell no, Aria. You aren't going with him. I know you don't want to."

"I do." I lied, biting my lip to stifle my crying. Why did they have to make this so damn difficult? Couldn't they see it was hard enough?

Lysander stepped towards me, but Rory hissed, his eyes red with fury.

"You can stay the fuck away from her." His voice was deep and threatening, matching his glare. I understood why. If he really knew about us, he had every right to be pissed.

Lysander squared his shoulders, his eyes darkening with challenge.

"You can't just take her. What about her children?"

"OUR children, asshole. And we will be taking them with us." Both Bastion and Lysander jerked their heads to me, their eyes wide with horror and disbelief.

"You've got to be fucking with me. Aria, you're just going to leave me all alone? What happened to loving me forever?" If my heart weren't shattered before, it was after that. The thing was, I did love him. That's why I was doing this. I wanted to spare a worse heartbreak.

I wanted him to at least look back on our memories joyfully, not thinking about what I was doing with another man while he was at work.

Hell, I wanted him to love me, still.

It was completely and utterly selfish, but I needed to know he respected me.

Then, there was Lysander. The man I had just spent an amazing afternoon with. The man I had just pleasured and been pleasured by. The man who had stopped at nothing to make sure I was cared for and never lonely since Rory left. How could I leave without giving him an explanation?

So I closed my stinging eyes and said a quick prayer.

"I'm sorry. I have to. He knows about us and if I don't go with him, he'll tell Bastion. Please, just let me go."

I opened my eyes to see if he heard me, only to be met with his furious glower. He was pissed. His hands were clenched in fists at his sides and he kept flitting back and forth between Rory and me. I knew he was angry that I was feeding into it, but I had no other choice.

"I'd better get going." I mumbled, casting my gaze to the floor so I didn't have to see the two extremes before me. I couldn't handle it anymore. I just wanted to run so I could stop hurting them.

Then, to my utter horror, just as I turned to walk away, Lysander spoke.

"Bastion, Aria and I have been having an affair."